Device for reseating large gate valves



Oct. 10, 1944. R. P. NORTON 2,360,009

DEVICE FOR RESEAT-ING LARGE GATE VALVES Filed March 4, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet l M} M HAW M WWW/17%. W49

Oct. 10-, 1944. R P, N R O 2,300,009

DEVIPE FOR RESEATING LARGE GATE VALVES Filed March 4, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 10, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR RESEATING LARGE GATE vALvEs This invention relates to an improved valve dressing tool for refinishing the oppositely arranged seats of a gate valve casing, being particularly adapted to be used in connection with the gate valves included in larger pipe lines exceeding eight inches in diameter, and is an improvement on the valve reseating device illustrated and described in my co-pending application filed February 17, 1941, Serial No. 379,221 and issued on October 19, 1943, as Patent 2,332,394. In my co-pending application the valve seating tool is in the form of a disc, having on one of its faces a series of cutters for removing the excess and uneven material by a cutting and scraping operation, while my present invention pertains to removal of the desired material by the use of an abrasive material, preferably in the form of detachable paper or cloth sheets or strips.

In the smaller units using the cutter disc the desired reseating operation usually takes place rapidly and with a few revolutions of the disc which are manually operated. However, when the material is removed by the use of abrasive a considerable amount of power is required, this being especially true when used on large valves.

It is, therefore, the object of my invention to provide improved means whereby power mechanism for driving the dressing tool may be easily and quickly applied, and at the same time to utilize the valve casing for supporting the power shaft, thereby eliminating the necessity of providing heavy and expensive machinery for supporting the casing being operated on and the tools for performing the dressing operation.

Morespecifically, it is the object of my invention to provide in a valve seat dressing tool employing a supporting frame attached to one of the valve seats and a rotatable dressing or refinishing disc supported in operative relation with the other seat and supported by said frame, improved means which may be attached to said redressing tool or disc after the supporting frame and disc have been inserted in the valve casin the said driving element being inserted through one of the valve openings of said casing.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a vertical central sectional view of a valve casing showing, in side elevation, my improved valve dressing tool applied thereto;

Figure 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the tool-supporting head and the tool-sup-. porting mechanism carried thereby;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the tool removed from the valve casing;

Figure 4 is a top view of the same;

Figure 5 is a bottom View of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the tool-supporting head;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the rocker element supported therein; and

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 3.

My improved device comprises a supporting frame including a U-shaped frame member l0 including a cross bar H, the inner edges of the members It] bein provided with grooves l2 for slidably supporting a plate l3, a screw l4 being rotatably mounted in the member I l and threaded into the member l3 whereby the said member 13 may be moved longitudinally within the frame as the screw M is rotated. The member 13 is provided with a dovetailed slot IS in which is slidably mounted a bar l6, said bar having a slot ii and a set screw l8 by means of which the said bar may be adjusted longitudinally of the member !3 and the member I I in which the said screw I8 is mounted. The inner end of the bar [6 is provided with what I shall term a cuttersupporting head I9, said head being of a substantially semi-cylindrical formation having ,a semi-cylindrical recess 20, the ends of the recess having arcuate grooves 2|.

Supported within the recess 20 is what I shall term a rocker head 22 having on its ends arcuate flanges 23 designed to slide in the grooves 2| so as to permit the angle of the rocker 22 to be adjusted about an axis transversely of the movement of the bar IS, the rocker 22 being provided with a radial screwthreaded opening 24. The member 22 is also provided with recesses 25 for receiving the inner ends of set screws 26 which are threaded into the head I9. The said set screws provide means for adjusting the angu larity of the rocker relative to the head and also provide means for locking the said rocker in said adjusted position.

Rotatably mounted within the opening 24 is a screw-threaded sleeve 27 having at its inner end a hub 28 in which is provided an annular groove 29 and adjacent to said groove a toothed portion or gear 35}, the groove 29 being adapted to receive the bifurcated portions 3| of a handle 32 in a [seat 48.

slidable manner, the said handle 32 having an enlarged portion 33 the inner end of which is provided with teeth 34 adapted to engage the teeth of the gear 30 when the said lever 32 is at its inner position of movement, and to disengage said teeth when the said lever is moved outwardly, the said lever providing means whereby the gear and the sleeve may be rotated by rocking the lever through a short are at such times as when the teeth 34 are in engagement with the teeth of the ear 30 for moving the sleeve 21 longitudinally of the opening 24. A spring 49 handle 32 is moved outwardly, that is in adirec tion to disengage the teeth 34 from the gear 30; Rotatably supported within the sleeve 21 is a shaft 35 mounted in ball bearings 36 carried in the ends of said sleeve, the inner end of the shaft being provided with a disc 31. The outer end of the shaft 35 is provided with a washer 38 and a bolt 39 forsupporting the shaft against longitudinal movement relative to the sleeve 21. The shaft 35 extends inwardly beyond the disc 3! a slight distance so as to provide a pivot for supporting the cutter disc 40. The inner face of the disc 40 is provided with an annular rabbet 4| in which is mounted a sheet of abrasive material 42. The unit thus described may be inserted through the valve opening 43 of the valve casing 44 with the outer face of the inner end of the frame member l adjacent to the valve seat 45, with a lug '45'carried by said inner end resting within the lower edge of the said valve seat and a lug 4! carried by the inner end of the block [3 resting against the upper face of said valve seat, said lug 41 being clamped in position by rotating the screw I4 and causing the plate l3 to be moved outwardly. This provides means for firmly fixing the said frame member I!) to the seat 45.

With the frame member it! thus fixed to the gate valve casing the set screws 26 for angularly adjusting the rocker head 22 relative to the supporting head l9 are manipulated to assist in the holds the sleeve 21 against rotation when the i is a alignment of the axis of the shaft so that it projects substantially centrally through the valve seat-48 and normal to the plane of'the valve This adjustment of the set screws 26 takes place in conjunction with the adjustment of the bar It for moving the cutter supporting head l9 longitudinally of the frame member f2. The aligning of the shaft 35 in this manner is made by positioning the disc in a substantially parallel relation with the valve seat 48.

When this alignment is determined the sleeve 21 is rotated so as to move the valve disc 40, and in turn the abrasive portion 42, toward the valve seat 48, until the abrasive portion 42 is tight against the valve seat 48. With the shaft 35 thus held in its aligned position the means for rotating the shaft 35 and in turn the disc 40 is assembled with the clisc40 and the shaft 35.

For rotating the disc 49 I have provided what I shall term an extension shaft 50 having a flange 51- at its inner end secured to the disc 40 by means of bolts 52, the said shaft also having a socket 53' for receiving the inner end of the shaft 35 and for centering the shaft 50 with the said shaft 35, the inner end of the shaft 50 being inserted through the valve opening 54, after which the bolts 52 are placed in position. The shaft 50 is supported by means of a self-aligned bearing 55 supported by a beam or bar 56, said bar being adjustably secured to. the flange 51 of the casing 44 by means of C clamps 58, the bar 56 being positioned after the disc 40 has been set to operative position against the valve seat 48. Since the disc 40 is held in alignment against the valve seat 48 the shaft 50 is readily brought into operative alignment with the valve seat, after which the bolts 52 are tightened and the clamps 58 are set. The outer end of the shaft 56 is provided with a universal joint 59 to which may be attached any power shaft 60, such as the armature shaft of an electric motor, thus providing means whereby the disc 40 may be rapidly operated by power derived directly from the motor. The rocker head 22 and the bearing 55 provide means for rigidly supporting the shafts 35 and 50 in proper alignment with the valve seat and provide means for maintaining the said disc 40 in proper alignment with the seat 48 so that a perfect surface may be provided for the seat. With the means for rotating the disc 40 thus assembled, the sleeve 21 is rotated to release the abrasive member 42 from its tight engagement with the seat 48. On the operation of the power shaft a desired rate of feeding of the abrasive member 42 for resurfacing the seat 48. Arms 6| are mounted on the member l9 and designed to rest on the frame member IE to assist the bar H5 in holding the cutter supporting head l9 against rotary movement relative to the frame member H1 about an axis longitudinally of the bar 16.

' Thus it will be seen I have provided a tool for dressing the valve seats of gate valve casings of the larger sizes wherein power is required to operate the finishing tool. In actual practice the seats are finished so accurately that no lapping is required between the wedge-shaped gate valve and the seats of the said casing in order to maintain a tight fit under a pressure of 300 pounds or more to the square inch. The seat 45 may be finished by simply removing the frame member [0 and the too] and placing the said frame against the seat 42 with the disc 40 against the said seat 45 in the manner above described in connection with the seat 48. By detaching the member 5| from the disc 40 it will readily be seen that the tool may then be easily removed through the opening 43. It will further be seen that the apparatus may be applied to a valve casing without the employment of any heavy and rigid supporting apparatus, thus providing a portable means which may be easily and quickly placed in. operation in any desired locality where the valve casings to be refinished are easily accessible.

The abrasive grinding cloth or similar grinding material which might be used is of special construction to resurface hard seats as well as the softer seats, and is specially recommended for use in high pressure valves because of its grinding ability to produce an even and smooth surface with the elimination of any unevenness such as would be produced by a cutter as is used in connection with the smaller devices for this purpose.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a frame for supporting a cutter for dressing one of two opposite and annular seats of a gate valve casing, said frame having a portion adapted to engage and be fixed to one of the annular seats of said gate valve casing, a cutter-supporting bar mounted to move longitudinally'of said supporting frame, a cutter-supporting head carried at one end of said bar having a semi-cylindrical recess, a rocker' head ad-justably mounted in said recess to swing about an axis transverse of the movement of said bar, means for adjusting the angle of said rocker relative to said cutter-supporting head, said rocker having a radial screwthreaded opening, a threaded sleeve mounted in said opening, a lever actuated means for rotating said sleeve, a shaft rotatably mounted in said sleeve, a cutter-supporting disc carried by said shaft, a second disc supported by said cuttersupporting disc having an abrasive surface adapted to engage the other one of said valve seats, an extension shaft detachably connected to the outer surface of said last mentioned disc, an extension shaft-supporting beam including a self-aligning bearing for supporting said extension shaft, said shaft being projected through said other valve seat, and means for clamping said beam to said valve casing.

2. In a device of the class described, a frame for supporting a cutter for dressing One of two opposite and annular seats of a gate valve casing, said frame having a portion adapted to be fixed to one of the annular seats of said gate valve casing, a cutter-supporting bar mounted to move longitudinally of said supporting frame, a cuttersupporting head carried by the inner end of said bar having a semi-cylindrical recess with arcuate grooves in its ends, a rocker head mounted in said recess having arcuate flanges to slide in said grooves to permit the head to swing about an axis transverse of the movement of said bar, means for adjusting the angle of said rocker within said recess, said rocker having a radial screw-threaded opening, a sleeve mounted in said opening, lever-actuated means for rotating said sleeve, a shaft rotatably mounted in said sleeve, a cutter-supporting disc carried by and near the inner end of said shaft, a disc-like cutter element carried by said supporting disc adapted to engage the other one of' said valve seats, an extension shaft detachably connected to the outer surface of said last mentioned disc, an extension shaft-supporting beam including a self-aligning bearing for supporting the outer end of said extension shaft, and means for adjustably and detachably mounting said supporting beam to said valve casing.

3. In a device of the class described, a frame for supporting a cutter for dressing one of two opposite annular seats of a gate valve casing, said frame having a portion adapted to be fixed to said gate valve casing, a cutte supporting bar adjustably mounted for movement longitudinally of said supporting frame, a cutter supporting head carried at one end of said bar, a rocker head rotatably supported in said supporting head for angular adjustment about an axis transversely of the movement of said bar, means for adjusting the angle of said rocker head relative to said supporting head, the said rocker head having a screw-threaded opening in a side thereof, a sleeve threadable in said opening, means for rotating said sleeve to move said sleeve longitudinally of said opening, a shaft rotatably mounted in said sleeve, a cutting member carried by said shaft, with said cutting member being movable against one of said valve seats on rotation of said sleeve in one direction, means for rotating said shaft detachably fixed to said cutting member, and means detachably secured to the valve casing for supporting said rotating means.

4. In a device of the class described, a supporting frame adapted to be placed in and through the valve stem opening of a gate valve casing with its inner end supported on one of the oppositely arranged valve seats in said casing, means for clampin said frame to said casing, a disc having a cutting portion on one of its faces, adjustable means supporting said disc for adjustment of said cutting portion relative to the other one of said valve seats, a shaft rotatably supported in said adjustable means for carrying said disc, means for rotating said shaft including an extension shaft projected through the valve opening defined by said other valve seat, and means for detachably clamping said extension shaft against said disc so that said disc and two shafts constitute a rotatable unit.

5. In a device for resurfacing a valve seat in a gate valve casing, a frame means having one end within said valve casing adapted to be fixed to said casing, a cutter supporting head adjacent said one end supported for adjustable linear movement on said frame means, a rocker head rotatably supported on said supporting head, a sleeve member threadably suppprted in said rocker head, said sleeve member being projected from said rocker head in a direction toward the valve seat to be resurfaced, a cutter rotatably supported in said sleeve member, means for angularly adjusting said rocker head in said supporting head, with linear adjustment of said supporting head relative to said frame means, and angular adjustment of the rocker head in said supporting head locating said cutter in a seat resurfacing position with said valve seat, means for rotating said sleeve to move said cutter toward and away from said valve seat, and means detachably connected With said cutter to rotate said cutter.

6. A device for resurfacing a valve seat in a gate valve casing comprising a frame positionable in said valve casing, means adjustable longitudinally of said frame means, rockable means supported on said adjustable means for adjustable angular movement and fo longitudinal movement with said adjustable means, a shaft rotatably supported on said rockable means and projected radially from said rockable means, a cutter mounted on said shaft adjacent the projected end thereof, with a relative adjustment of said adjustable means and said rockable means providing for the location of said cutter in a seat resurfacing position with said valve seat, means providing for the axial movement of said shaft independently of said rockable means to move said cutter toward and away from said valve seat, and means operatively connected with the projected end of said shaft for rotating said cutter.

RAYMOND P, NORTON. 

